Ayala, César J., and Rafael Bernabe. Puerto Rico in the American Century: A History Since 1898. Chapel Hill: U of North Carolina P, 2007. I have been wanting to learn more about Puerto Rico’s history for a while as a way to help me better understand my Puerto Rican roots. This book looks like itContinue reading “Books Acquired Recently”
Category Archives: Literature
Pro Wrestling as Narrative
There’s an excellent interview with WWE executive Triple H on grantland.com that explains how WWE storylines get generated, and how they play out during live events. I loved to watch wrestling as a kid, and while I no longer watch it, I still enjoy reading about it. This may sound odd, but reading about itContinue reading “Pro Wrestling as Narrative”
Mike Piazza’s Long Shot
Mike Piazza’s autobiography Long Shot is a fascinating, candid, at times disturbing book. It is a true autobiography, covering his entire life up through the publication of the book in detail. Here are a few thoughts on what stood out to me. I found the first part of the book boring because I was readingContinue reading “Mike Piazza’s Long Shot”
Books Acquired Recently: Strand Edition
I spent a few days this week in New York City, which of course involved my usual trip to the Strand. I have been shopping at the Strand since 2002, and it always brings me joy even though their renovations over the past decade have taken away some of the store’s character. But I wasContinue reading “Books Acquired Recently: Strand Edition”
Thoughts on Narrative in Everyday Life
I was especially excited to watch the Mets game last night because Zack Wheeler was pitching, and I was thinking about the high hopes that I have for both he and Matt Harvey. Specifically, I was thinking, “Well, Harvey is clearly Tom Seaver, and maybe Wheeler can be Jerry Koosman.” I know that I amContinue reading “Thoughts on Narrative in Everyday Life”
The Comfort of Baseball
Last night I watched the Mets-Atlanta game, and the Mets lost in excruciating fashion, with Bobby Parnell giving up two runs in the top of the ninth to blow a 1-0 lead and Jason Heyward making a fantastic diving catch on Justin Turner’s drive into the left-centerfield gap in the bottom of the ninth forContinue reading “The Comfort of Baseball”
Books Acquired Recently: Desk Copies Edition
Today I received all of my desk copies for the upcoming semester. I’ll be teaching semester one of the first-year composition course, American Literature to 1865, and American Literature Post-1945. It should be a fun semester toggling back and forth between the two American literature extremes! It will make a fascinating contrast. I already haveContinue reading “Books Acquired Recently: Desk Copies Edition”
Books Acquired Recently
The Mennonite Encyclopedia, Volume II: D-H. Scottdale: Herald, 1956. The Mennonite Encyclopedia, Volume III: I-N. Scottdale: Herald, 1957. I bought Volumes I, IV, and V of The Mennonite Encyclopedia over a decade ago at a conference at a steep discount ($15.00 apiece when they are normally $85.00) because they each had a few damaged pages.Continue reading “Books Acquired Recently”
Books Acquired Recently: Last Names Beginning With K Edition
Keogh, Theodora. The Other Girl. 1962. N.P.: Olympia, 2009. I read a number of Keogh’s books last summer and have been wanting to read more of them, but hadn’t had the time. I plan to rectify that this summer. Klosterman, Chuck. I Wear the Black Hat: Grappling With Villains (Real and Imagined). New York: Scribner,Continue reading “Books Acquired Recently: Last Names Beginning With K Edition”
Book Acquired Recently: Lynnette Dueck’s sing me no more
Dueck, Lynnette. sing me no more. Vancouver: Press Gang, 1992. This is the final one of Dueck’s books that I’ve been acquiring over the past month, and the only one published under her real name rather than her pen name, Lynnette D’anna. It is also the first book I have acquired since moving to Utica,Continue reading “Book Acquired Recently: Lynnette Dueck’s sing me no more”
Daniel Shank Cruz 